icanhazchikn
In the Brooder
- Nov 17, 2016
- 26
- 8
- 32
Hi,
I've been on Backyard Chickens a few times before for information, but joined officially today. I wish I'd joined sooner since I want to find people around me that I can buy a few more chickens from, but can't post a wanted ad until I've gotten to 20 posts on here.
I started in February with 8 chickens, around 6 weeks old. We started them in my room in a cardboard box and a heatlamp, then quickly moved them to the garage where it was too cold and I lost one because my heat lamp wasn't warm enough. Got a better heat source and they did fine until spring, when I built the bottom part of my coop mansion. I made it too big, at 17 feet long and 8 feet wide and 4 feet tall, but could still move it. I then built the coop part on top and my chicken mansion sat still for months until I just recently got it moving again.
Along the way I lost three more chickens and am starting the winter with just four fat happy chickens. I have one ameracauna left, 2 golden buff orpingtons and a black and white spotted chicken. I don't remember what breed it is, but we call her Oreo. The chickens have been laying lots of eggs but slowed down now that it's colder.
My name is Dave, I'm a 38 year old guy working in IT and have two kids (11 and 13) that adore the chickens. They help me all the time with feeding / watering the chickens, watching them while they have fun outside the coop, etc... We moved out of city limits in Mount Juliet, TN to outside city limits so we could have chickens. I'd like to get back up to 8 chickens again, and hope to get similar chickens to what I have, and try some other breeds too.
I don't let my chickens wander outside unattended because we have coyotes, foxes, raccoons, local dogs, cats, owls, and a lot more, and there aren't any fences to my property so we can't keep the critters out. I'll have to take a picture of my coop and chickens to share after I get back home.
Thanks to everyone for advice that I've read on here, and I'm looking forward to learning more. I'm very new to chickens and grew up in apartments, so I've just read up on things online or made it up as I go along. Your posts have helped a lot!
Dave
I've been on Backyard Chickens a few times before for information, but joined officially today. I wish I'd joined sooner since I want to find people around me that I can buy a few more chickens from, but can't post a wanted ad until I've gotten to 20 posts on here.
I started in February with 8 chickens, around 6 weeks old. We started them in my room in a cardboard box and a heatlamp, then quickly moved them to the garage where it was too cold and I lost one because my heat lamp wasn't warm enough. Got a better heat source and they did fine until spring, when I built the bottom part of my coop mansion. I made it too big, at 17 feet long and 8 feet wide and 4 feet tall, but could still move it. I then built the coop part on top and my chicken mansion sat still for months until I just recently got it moving again.
Along the way I lost three more chickens and am starting the winter with just four fat happy chickens. I have one ameracauna left, 2 golden buff orpingtons and a black and white spotted chicken. I don't remember what breed it is, but we call her Oreo. The chickens have been laying lots of eggs but slowed down now that it's colder.
My name is Dave, I'm a 38 year old guy working in IT and have two kids (11 and 13) that adore the chickens. They help me all the time with feeding / watering the chickens, watching them while they have fun outside the coop, etc... We moved out of city limits in Mount Juliet, TN to outside city limits so we could have chickens. I'd like to get back up to 8 chickens again, and hope to get similar chickens to what I have, and try some other breeds too.
I don't let my chickens wander outside unattended because we have coyotes, foxes, raccoons, local dogs, cats, owls, and a lot more, and there aren't any fences to my property so we can't keep the critters out. I'll have to take a picture of my coop and chickens to share after I get back home.
Thanks to everyone for advice that I've read on here, and I'm looking forward to learning more. I'm very new to chickens and grew up in apartments, so I've just read up on things online or made it up as I go along. Your posts have helped a lot!
Dave
! Great to have you in our community! Happy BYC has so useful for you. Also awesome that you are involving your kids in the process...so many great lessons to learn. In terms accumulating the 20 posts, you can go the Fun and Games Forum or just welcome aboard some new members in this forum. Best wishes and thanks for joining us! 
